Condenser



May 14, 1929.

A. A. KENT ooNDENsER Filed June 1, 1923 f @if l nu? if A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITEDv s'ra'riasl PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHU vApplication filed R .ATWATER KENT, 0F ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

coNDnNsER.

June 1,

My invention relates to electrical condensers, and more particularly variable condenscrs, ot' general application, and utilizable' more particularly in radio -circuits'or systems.

lt is the object of my invention to providea justed.

condenser in which the movable system is easily and freely rotatable nevertheless remain in position to w and which will hicli ad- In accordance with my invention, the romember of the ates are mounted'upon a preferably coniwhich shaft, preferably conical, the resilient or spring member serving also to effect good electrical contact with the moving system.

Further in accordance with I provide an end plate, base or insulating material, supporting the aforesaid my invention, top of molded provided with means for member, for supporting the stationary ture of the condenser,

resilient or spi'ing strueand for mounting the condenser as a whole upon a support, asa panel board.

My invention resides in structure and features of combination o inafter described and claimed.

For an illustration ,of one o forms my invention may tak be vhad to the accompanyin which the character heref the various e, reference is to g drawing, in

Fig. 1 is a Jfront elevational view of a panel board having attached t with the operating handle in fron panel board.-

hereto my condenser, t of the Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, some parts in elevation, taken on-the line 2-42 of id. i.

ig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, partly in plan, taken on the line 3-3 ofvFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional elevation, taken on the line view. parts in 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, partly in plan, taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, partly in plan,\ taken on the line 6-6 of Fig'. 7 is a perspective view of a spring member.

Referring to the other support,`as a ard4 or which vdisposed the spacer4 tube 1923. Serial N'o. 642,760.

the condenser structure may though it will be understood that my invention is'not limited to a condenser structure utilizable only for mounting upon panel boards, but that my structure may be utilized in any other suitable or desirable relation. The base, top or end plate 2 of the -condenser be mounted,

structure' is preferably molded of insulating At preferably equidistant points circumi ferentiallyof the member 2, there ai'e molded therein metallic inserts G, into each of which is threaded a rod or post 7, on Whose opposite end is threaded nut S, into which is tween whose head and the nut 8 'is confined the sheet metal member, bottom )late or end plate 10, of circular or any other suitable shape. Upon two adjacent rods or posts 7 are alternately disposed the fixed condenser plates 11, constituting the fixed armature of the condenser', and thewashers 12, serving as spacers for maintaining uniform distances 'between the several condenser plates 11. The plates 11 and the Washers 12 aretightly held between the insert 6 and the nut 8, threaded on the rod 7. nut 8, and surrounding the rod or post 7, 1s 13, as indicated in Fig. 2.

In bosses 14, integral with the member 2, are molded the metallic insertsl, into which are threaded screws 16, which extend through holes 17 andhold at its ends the resilient or spring member -17, of sheet bronze or other suitable material, having struck up therefrom at its center the truste-conical bearing member 18. Struck up from the same side of the member17 are the integral resilient or spring tongues justable abutments 20, threaded throughthe member 2 and The shaft 22 has .the conical bearing por-` tion 23 bearing in the aforesaid bearing member 18, carried bythe spring 17. the bearing Between the third insert 6 and provided with lock nuts 2,1.

a hexagonal or 'other threaded a screw 9, bel 19, whose ends'are disposed opposite the adjusting screws or ad-v Adjacent 23 is the shoulder 24 on the shaft'. 22, between which and the nut 25, threaded on the end of shaft 22, alternate the movable condenser plates 26, constituting the movable armature of the condenser, and the spacer or separating washers 27, the'washers and plates 26 being so positioned that theplates 26, when rotated by and with the shaft 22, interleave with the stationary condenser plates 11, without contacting therewith. The shaft 22 at its .end is provided with a conical recess 28, serving as a bearing upon the conical end 29 of the screw 30threaded through the block of insulating material 31, secured by screws 32 tothe platelO and having a central boss or portion extending through a central opening in the plate 10. A nut 33, threaded upon the screw 30, serves to lock it in position to which it may be adjusted.

Accordingly, the movable system of the condenser, comprising the shaft 22, plates 26 and washers 27, hasconical bearings at 23 and 29 upon the spring member l17 and screw 30, respectively. The spring 17 thrusts its conical bearing 23, forcing and holding the same against the conical bearing 29. The magnitude of this thrust or force is adjustable by adjusting the screws 20, thereby adjust-ing the tongues 19 to different-positions, and thereby changing the tension or thrust exerted-bythe spring 17. The shaft 22 has an extension 34, passing through the aperture 35 inthe member 2 and through the aperture 35a in the panel 1. At the front of the panel 1 is t-he operating handle or knob 36, preferably of molded insulating material, having a metallic insert 37' molded therein and receiving'the shaft end 34. 'A set screwl 38 serves to secure the knob 36 upon the shaft A extension 34. Integral with the knob,36

is molded the dial 39, which may carry suitable scale markings co-acting with a stat1 onary index 40 upon the panel 1. In a boss t41, integral with the member 2, is molded as an insert a pin or stub shaft 42, Fig. 6, extending through an aperture 43 in the panel .1, and disposed adjacent the periphery of the bevelled dial rim 39. Rotatable` upon the stub shaft 42 is the thumb wheel or button 44, having a recess 45 in which is disposed the head of a screw 46 threaded into the shaft 42 and serving to prevent the member 44 from coming off the shaft 42. On itsl inner end themember 42 carries the ring or tire 47, of rubber or other suitable material, preferably bevelled at its end to contact with the bevelled rim 39 of the dial, the screw head 46 b e'mg so positionedthat the member 44 and its r1ng47 have sutlicient play longitudinally of the shaft 42 for the ring 47 to be normally out of contactwith the rim 39. l

In making an adjustment of the condenser, the knob 36 is grasped. and turned, thereby rotating the condenser plates 26 with respect to the iixed condenser plates 11, until their overlap is of such extent as to effect the wheel 44 the frictional engagement between amount of capacity desired, the air intervento bring the shoe or ring 47 into engagement with the dial rim 39, and upon turning the the ring 47 and rim 39 will cause rotation of the dial 39, and therefore of the movable.

structure of the condenser. Close or nice adjustment is thus effectable because the di- A trically connected to each other and through against the shaft longitudinally thereof at the washers-12 and rod 7, and nuts 8, with the plate 10, which may carry a binding screw or binding post for connecting the stationary condenserY plates in circ-uit. Similarly, the rotatable condenser plates 26 are all in elec trical connection with each other and through the Washers 27 and shaft 22, bearing members 23 and 18, and spring member 17, with which latter may be connected a conductor for connecting the rotatable platesin cir- The plate 17 may be connected by a conductor with a binding post carried upon the 'inner side of the base 2, such binding post serving then for holding a conductor for connecting the movable condenser plates in circuit.

It is preferred that the bearing plate or member 17 may be shiftable oradj ustable as to its position, thereby adjusting 0r shifting the position of the bearing 18 for the shaft 22, thereby-to adjust or position the movable armature plates 26 With respect to the' stationary armature plates 11. For this purpose the holes 17, Fig. 7, through which the shanks Of the screws 16 extend, may be large as compared to 'the diameter of the shanksof theiscrews 16, permitting adjustment of the plate 17,`and therefore the bearing 18 and shaftV 22, and the armature plates 26. After adjustment or suitable positioning of the member17 has been eii'ected, the screws 16 are tightened and hold the member 17 in .the positionto which adjusted.. It may be found in assembling a condenser of the characterdescribcd that one or more of the plates 16 touches or-too closely approaches a neighboring. stationary plate 11, and consequently, by effecting adjustment of thek plate or member 17 as described, that position of the shaft 22 may be f ound and fixed which will cause all the plates 26 freely to move between the stationary plates l1 Without touching or too porting member', a sheet spring meinber car- What I claim is: I I

1. Condenser structure comprising a supporting member, a sheet spring member carried thereby, a bearing carried by said sheet spring member, a shaft rotatable on and ex- :tcnding through said spring member, and a .condenser arma-ture and an operating member carried by said shaft on opposite sides of -said member.v

2. Condenser structure comprising a supried thereby and spaced therefrom, said spring member having'an integral conical bearing, a shaft having a conical portion rotatable in said bearing, and a. rotatable condenser-armature and an operating member carried by said shaft on opposite sides of said bearing.

3. Condenser structure comprising a supporting member, a spring member carried thereby, a bearing on said spring member, a tongue on said spring member, a shaft rotatable in saidbearing, a rotatable condenser armature carried by saidshaft, and an adjustable abutment engaging said tongue.

4c. Condenser structure comprising a supporting member, a sheet spring member having an integral thrust. bearing, a shaft eX- tending through s aid member and having a portion supported by and rotating in said bearing and against which said bearing thrusts to rotatably support saidshaft, and a rotatable condenser armature and an operating member carried by said shaft on opposite sides of said spring member.

5. Condenser structure comprising a supporting member, a sheet spring member having an integralthrust bearing, a shaft having a portion rotating in said bearing and against which said bearing thrusts, a rotatable condenser armature carried by said shaft, a tongue integral with said spring member, and an abutment engaging said tongue for determining the thrust upon said shaft.

6. Condenserstructnre comprisingsupporting members spaced from each other, a shaft having a conical portion, a sheet metal member having a conical bearing integral therewith, said bearing having an aperture, said shaft extending through and appreciably beyond said aperture and the conical portion on said shaft rotating in Said conical bearing, and a thrust bearing for said shaft carried byanother of said supporting members.

7. Condenser structure comprising supporting members spaced from each other, a shaft having a conical portion, a sheet metal spring having an integral conical bearingh bearing for said shaft carried by another of A said supporting members, and an abutmentv engaging said spring for adjusting the thrust upon said shaft. z

8. Condenser structure comprising Supporting members spacedfrom each other, a shaft having a conical portion, a sheet metal spring having an integral conical bearing, said bearing having an aperture, said 'shaft extending through said aperture and the conical portion on said shaft rotatingin said conical bearing, a thrust bearing for said shaft car-ried by another-of said supporting members, said spring having an integral tongue, andl an abutment engaging said tongue.

9. Condenser structure comprising an end 10. Condenser structure comprising an end plate of molded insulating material, inserts molded in said end plate, a sheet spring secured to said inserts and spaced from V'said end plate, said spring having an integral conical bearing, a shaft having a conical portion rotating in said bearing and against which said spring thrusts, a rotatable condenser armature carried by said shaft, said spring having an integral tongue, and an abutment carried by said end plate engaging said tongue.

11. Condenser structure comprising a rotatable shaft, a condenser armature carried thereby, -a co-acting condenser armature, a sheet spring member providing a bearing'an d through which said shaft extends, a conical lll5 bearing on said shaft engaging in said first named bearing, and an operating member-fon said shaft on the opposite side of said bear ing from said first named armature.

12. Condenser structure comprising a sheet spring member having a bearinof a 3 shaft having a portion supported by andJ rot'ating in said bearing and against which said bearing thrusts, a rotatable condenser armature carried by said shaft, tongues on said spring member and disposed on opposite sides of said bearing, and abutments engaging said tongues for determining the thrust of said bearing upon said shaft.

13. A variable condenser comprising a stator, a` front end supporting plate. and a rear end supporting plate, a rotor and means supporting the rotor in the end supporting )lates including a suine-.bearing su i )ort- D 2D h ingly carrying one side of the rotor and arf rangedk between the rotor and the front end supporting plate, the said condenser having a shaft projecting; through said front end sup' porting plate.

14. A variable condenser comprising a stator, end 'supporting plates, a rotor and means supporting@v the rotor in the end support-ing plates including :L unitary springbearing, supportingly Carrying one Side of the rotor, the Sald rotor having :L shaft ex-l tending through said spring bearing.

15. A variable condenser comprisinga L stator, end supporting plates, a rotor having a tapered bearing scat and means supporting the rotor in the end supporting plates ineludingl a unitary spring-bearing supportingly extending through the aperture of said conical bearing and having' a conical portion ro- .tatahle in saidconical bearing, a rotatable condenser armature carried by said shaft on one side of said spring member, and an operating member carried by lsaid shaft on the oppositeside of said springmember.

17 Condenser structure comprisinof a supporting member, a sheet spring mem erear ried thereby, an apertured conical bearing ou said spring member, a shaft extending vthrough vthe aperture of said' conical bearing and freely through said supporting member, :L .rotatable condenser armature carried by said shaft on the opposite side of said spring ineuiber from said supportiingr member, and an operating member carried by said shaft on the side of said supportingmember oppo- Site-t said armature.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature this 29th day of May, 1923.

ARTHUR ATWATER KENT. 

